Friday, December 21, 2007

Dubai - Day 3

Day 3 was fully reserved for the desert safari. Also known as dune bashing, it's quite a popular tourist attraction in Dubai.

Viv and I waiting for the dune-bashing guys to pick us up. Yes, they pick you from your home and take you to the desert in the same vehicle that will then go up and down the sand dunes.

Making our way to the desert in the Toyota land cruiser

The 'pack', which included all the vehicles belonging to the dune bashing company we'd hired met at a place to reduce the tyre pressure before setting off for the dunes. Then, off we went riding the sand dunes at impossible angles. Luckily, our driver was very skilled and we did not get so scared as he went up and down steep slopes. Of course he kept joking that "it's my first day at work", but we're not three. :D

Check out the angle of our vehicle!

Just when you thought it couldn't get steeper... awesome!

We stopped briefly to take pictures.

The 'pack' of all the dune bashers

The vehicle in front of us

Check out how the vehicle on the left seems to plummet down the dune. That was quite err... normal.

More steep angles

A and me against the rippled sand

Shoeprints in the sand

R took this awesome shot of the moon.

Me again!

Viv and me

Shadows of the four of us

De-shadowed!

F.R.I.E.N.D.S

I like this shot - looks they're on some other planet!

After bashing a lot of dunes, we halted again for sand-boarding. Basically, you take a surfboard and you go down a sand dune, either by sitting or standing on it. Though my friends declined, I was all up for it.

I position myself at the top of the dune.

And shwoooosh I go down!

This adventurous dude tried to stand and go. Unfortunately that didn't go very well.

Suddenly, just like in the movies, this pack of quad bikers appeared out of nowhere.

They were dressed in colourful clothes, and one even had a flag!

They waved, did their gunda actions on their bikes and off they rode into the sunset!

Speaking of sunset, check this out!

A and I pose with both types of dune-bashing vehicles.

Whoa!

Viv and me against the setting sun

Viv requested R to take one of those trick shots to make it look like he was holding the sun in his palm.

While R focused on getting that shot of Viv...

...I was busy taking a very comical shot of him!

This was one of the shots R took of Viv holding the sun.

And the sun finally sets.

After the dune bashing, we were taken to a belly dancing camp for dinner (and dance).

There was a camel outside the camp, and Viv and I hitched a short ride.

Off we go! This was my second camel ride, the first was in Pakistan!

Just outside the camp, you could also rent a dune buggy and do some dune bashing yourself. Viv of course jumped at the chance but he did not have enough cash on him...

So he plundered my purse, as well as R's wallet...

...and finally he got a buggy!

The happy man about to ride off into the desert

Just then, we found out that he could actually take a passenger with him for 50 dirhams.

I was, of course, quick to jump in!

When you are dune-bashing in the daylight and your driver is a professional skilled driver who does it on a daily basis, there is nothing to fear. But when you're in a dune buggy with a guy who last touched a steering wheel almost a year ago, going up and down steep dunes like a mad man in total darkness, it's not actually very comforting. But it's terribly exciting!

The only source of light during our wild ride was the buggy in front of us. Sand was flying everywhere, and so was my hair. I managed to secure my bandana on my head, and secure myself in the buggy. Thank goodness for seatbelts - the way Viv was driving, I'd have been flung out of the buggy in two seconds flat!

Soon, funtime was over and the night rider Viv was disappointed to have to return to the camp. But the guy in charge of the buggy came to Viv and said, "Man, you're a good driver!" (He'd been driving in front of us.) and I thought it was a huge compliment coming from him.

The beautifully lit up belly dancing camp

They even have a henna lady. A got a bracelet done, while I got an anklet. Meanwhile, the guys kept themselves busy with sheesha.

Soon, we gathered around the circular stage area and the belly dancer appeared.

The lady in gold and blue

She really had a lot of moves. We were impressed!

She went on dancing tirelessly to some awesome Arabian music.

She even had props like this stick.

Whoa!

Oh man, that's one difficult angle!

A and I pose were happily watching her when we suddenly got pulled to the stage by her!

All the women had been pulled to the stage. A and I danced for a while and then posed for a picture.

She then invited the guys for the next song. Viv and R stood there joblessly, not dancing much as I took this picture.

There she was, surrounded by fascinated guys! One of the guys there was a real moron, and even though she did not give him any bhaav, kept dancing around her and reaching his hands out so she would hold them. She knew how to deal with him alright though. Good girl!

After the dance, we helped ourselves to the barbecue dinner, which was utterly yummy! They had many many kinds of meat, as well as lots of Indian vegetarian food so Viv was one happy man.

There was even a section where you could try out the local costumes and take photos.

This lighted-up well looked like a camel to me. Viv disagreed though. Man, some people have no imagination!

Finally, it was time to leave the camp and find our vehicle.

The camels were sitting there in what I thought was a very funny pose - like some couple that had just had a fight.

I went close to one of them and took this picture. Look, isn't it smiling? :D

We paused at a petrol station to inflate the tyres before we got back on the road, and I saw this clothes shop. Even the traditional clothes could be fashionable, eh?